Making Change, or D + V + F > R

Mathematicians and scientists are fond of formulae. They make a lot of things easier, like calculating how much fuel you need to fly from London to New York – good to get that one right since there aren't many garages along the way.

But people who work with organisations are less fond of formulae. Indeed, church leaders have rightly become sceptical about the latest formula or programme that promises to propel their community into a land flowing with new converts and growing disciples.
 
Still, the formula D + V + F > R has proved rather helpful in summing up how a church can begin to go about generating sustainable change that enables people to live out their discipleship in all of life - Monday through Monday, home and away, neighbourhood and workplace. The formula suggests 3 incentives for change:
 
- Dissatisfaction with the status quo
- Vision of a better future
- First steps that are doable: preparations to climb Everest may need to start with a walk round the block.
 
To work, however, D + V + F needs to be greater than the Resistance to change - cultures rarely change without a struggle.
 
Of course, as our Imagine team have learned, the process of creating a whole-life disciple-making church can't be reduced to 'D+V+F >R' - it's a mite messier than that. It's art as well as science and grace on grace on grace.
 
Right now we are working with the Baptist Union, Elim and the Methodist Connexion - together representing some 8,400 churches - in projects designed to help their churches develop a vision for whole-life disciple-making and identify the first steps that are doable in their contexts.
 
It's early days, but these initiatives have enormous potential to help thousands upon thousands of Christians be more fruitful for Christ in the places they spend the bulk of their time.
 
LICC's work is only made possible through the prayer and financial generosity of our supporters. Our budget this year is £864,000 and, at this point in the flight, we only know where half that fuel will come from - less alarming than running out of gas over the Atlantic but still a clear enough need. So please help us help Christians be more fruitful on their frontline by using the donation links on the right.
 
Wishing you all shalom and fruitfulness in all you do.

Author: Mark Greene